Temporis Sororibus
by fireflyshollow
Summary: They came because, even in death, Voldemort destroyed their world. Now, the four Time Sisters will seek the change the fate of the entire wizarding world by effecting just one man. A Hermione!Centric Story
1. He Ate My Heart

Standard Dislcaimers apply. Story to enjoy. No money made

Chapter One: He ate my heart

She knelt in the wet grass, breathing heavily. Wiping the blood from her cheek, hoping it wasn't her own, she shook her wild mane of hair. Her hand flew to her neck, holding the charms around a gold chain. Glancing around the woods, she whispered, "Via tuta sororum." Suddenly, three others cracked with the sound of apparition to the spot. The blond lithe one began to heal the first one, and the red head and her black haired counterpart threw spells up to hide their place.

"Gin, how many?"

"The whole Burrow, Hermione. Mum and Fleur. They are all gone."

"Pansy?"

"Diagon Alley is no longer secure. The muggles were shooting on sight."

Luna kissed her forehead. "The last spell of the Dark Lord has been unleashed. All the males are decimated and the muggle world is going destroy the rest of us."

Hermione looked to her hands then. "So we come to this, Tom?" She pulled a small beaded bag from belt and pulled a tent out of it, tossing it at Ginny. "We've got to rest. I've a plan, that none of you will like."

Pansy shook her head slowly. "I never like any of your plans, Granger." Whoever would have thought that these four women would be running together? Once the spell had been unleashed by rouge death-eaters, it had decimated the wizards of the world, leaving the witches behind. Then they were systematically hunted and killed by the muggles, as too many muggleborns had died. A new witch hunt had begun.

Once the young women were settled in the for the evening, Hermione pulled the shrunken trunk with Hogwarts library stowed inside and called Tempore Oblítus to her while Ginny finished the meal. Thankful she had never unpacked her beaded bag from the Horcrux travel, the tent still functioned as a base for the four women.

Luna settled beside Hermione, and leaned against her friend. "Terrible things happen to those who meddle with time, Hermione."

"Actually, that is in here. It can also be translated to "Terrible things cause people to meddle with time." Luna, have I lost my mind to try this?"

Ginny and Pansy pulled two camp chairs to face the others. "Try what?"

"I am going to go back to the forties, and get Riddle there. Then none of this will have happened."

Pansy and Ginny nodded. "Ok." Luna said softly.

"No arguments?"

Running a hand through her red hair, Ginny shrugged. "Let's do it. What do we have to lose? Everything is gone here."

Pansy nodded. "Tell us how. Let's make the plan. We look young enough to go back to Hogwarts. That has to be the best time to get him."

Ginny smirked, "And unlike the git, we won't carry a trace. So we can do magic outside of school. But going back three years to 16 isn't my thought of ideal."

"Better than Pansy and my four years."

Luna hummed, "Tell Dumbledore everything." We all startled. "I assume we can't get back." Hermione shook her head. "Then he will have to help us."

"What's the spell?" Ginny said, her hand out for the book. "So we need a photo, since none of us have a memory of the forties to anchor too. And we should all be holding onto each other and speak the incantation in time. That shouldn't be difficult. That is how we got the Patils out of that muggle prison. With the unified "Bombardium."

Ginny passed the book to Pansy who said each of the words out loud. "Cordis. Tempus. Sumendum. Heart relives time?"

"Sounds promising." Luna flitted over to her bag, and pulled a photo of a man and woman on the front steps of Hogwarts. "Grandmum and Grandda. They were engaged in the summer of 1943."

Pansy nodded. "Summer of Riddle's sixth year?"

Hermione nodded. "That will work. So we need identities. Obscure Pureblood names. The wizarding world will be in the middle of Grindelwald's war. We are fleeing Grindelwald from France. Home schooled. We can't pull off being blood relatives."

"Luna Delacour, a votre de service." Luna had jumped up and spun into a bow. Point her finger at Ginny, she curtsied, "Genevive Flamel." She then turned to both Pansy and Hermione, "Hermione DeGaunt, and Pansy DeGaunt."

"Gaunt is Riddle's mum's maiden name." Pansy scolded. "And none one but your flighty self knows how to speak French."

Hermione held her hand up, "I'll keep DeGaunt, and you can be Fawcett."

"After that airhead of a Hufflepuff!" Pansy shook her bobbed hair, "Fine, whatever. So the French thing?"

"That's easy. Our dads' were homeschooled in the colonies. Best of friends, and then took up with witches in France after school. On the good side against Grindelwald, they were followed home. The Mothers sent us off to a second safe house just as the house we were all hiding in went up in flames. When they didn't retrieve us, we assume they are deceased. We are to go to Hogwarts now, in hopes of being safe and finishing out education." Hermione handed everyone papers from her bags. "Just fill in the names."

After fixing their papers, the young women curled up into their beds, which had been pushed near each other to keep the nightmares away. Hermione fingered her necklace and kissed the locket that held pictures of Harry and Ron. "Goodnight, my boys." She whispered, and then noxed the lights.

The next morning, Ginny and Pansy transfigured clothing to match the times, and Hermione pulled the large box that held all their gallons from the vaults they had been able to access. "Well, at least we will never need money." Luna had smiled and Hermione enlarged the box and passed out 50 galleons to each of them.

"Keep this on you at all times." Then she pulled out the wand case. "I've a spare of each of our wands, as well as any others I could get a hold of before Ollivander died. Any unforgivable should be cast and then the wand disposed of once we go back."

The girls had changed into their new looks, knee length skirts and button up sleeveless shirts. Once their hair and makeup were done and glamour's cast to hide scars, they pulled on stockings and short heeled shoes. "We are ready as we will ever be, Hermione." Once outside the tent, Ginny waved her wand and the tent enclosed itself and flew to Hermione's beaded bag, along with the rest of the luggage they had transfigured to look like suit cases from the forties. Pansy dropped the wards with a wave of her hand.

"Remember, we have been traveling the muggle way until we reached Hogsmeade. Ginny, watch your mouth. Women in this time, especially purebloods, are eloquent and do not swear." The redhead rolled her eyes at Hermione.

Smiling at the other women, Pansy straightened her traveling cloak, "It will be nice to not have to rely only on wandless magic. It takes so much effort." Glancing at Hermione and Luna, who never had a problem with wandless, "well for most of us."

Shrinking their bags and packing them into their pockets, they linked hands and in unison spoke the words that had plagued their minds since the night before. "Cordis Tempus Sumendum!"


	2. To Live

Chapter Two: To live

Hermione's POV

We landed with a pop at the main gate of Hogwarts, having bounced off the anti-apparition wards that surrounded the school. As I pulled our transfigured luggage out of my bag, the others recovered from the spell. My time spent back in third year had benefited me. Once they were well, we straightened our clothing and began the climb to the front gate. Luna's ancestors were shaking hands with Dumbledore, thanking him for allowing them to take their engagement photos at the castle. He looked over to the four of us, and his eyes widened some. I knew Luna was projecting our story into his mind, and once we passed into the courtyard, we halted.

He looked so young; his beard a good meter shorter than it had been the day he died. His Red robes with golden stars moved slightly in the summer breeze, and had we not shocked the poor man, I was sure there would be his twinkle in his eyes. "Greetings, young travelers. I hope your journey was well."

Luna nodded to me. "Of course. Our letter reached you? Can Hogwarts make room for us for a couple years?"

He waved goodbye to the people around him and approached us, "Let us speak in my office. Headmaster Dippet is on his summer travels." We nodded and gathered our bags, falling in behind him.

Four hours later saw Dumbledore crestfallen in his chair. "So it has been destroyed? All the time spent… all the…"

"The lives lost in the name of the greater good did nothing. The heartless bastard planned to obliterate us if he could not rule the world himself." Ginny spat out. "We have come to prevent it. Period, no negotiation."

"Ginny…" Pansy warned, placing a hand on the other girl's shoulder. The redhead shook her off and walked to the window. Turning back to Dumbledore, she continued. "The muggles killed our families. Old women and new born babies. None were spared. Why should they have? So many of their sons where lost when the spell hit. We have to stop him. That is all anyone of us has. Our families," She looked to Ginny and Luna, "our lovers, our brothers and sisters. They are all dead, just as dead as you were four years ago to us."

He nodded. "Tom Riddle did this?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, the creature he became did this. Voldemort did this." The other looked at her. "We will not blame the boy for the man's transgressions. We block him only, unless it becomes plain that he will rise. Killing him now will only make it so we don't know the evil that takes his place."

"And what if you uncreate yourselves?"

"The paradox has created a separate time line. Ours is lost." Luna whispered.

The old man pondered a while, and then moved to his desk. "I am sure you have paperwork in order?"

"Of course. Our transcripts from our time, as well as a letter from each of our "parents" stating what we are proficient in." I handed him a folder with each of our names on the front. "Certificates of birth, apparition licenses, and any other little thing you might need for your student files here."

"Very efficient Miss DeGaunt. Everything is in order, but I must encourage you to change your surname. Gaunt is…"

"I know. That is the point. I want him confused; I want him concerned."

"Very well then. I will place the four of you in Gryffindor. That house has no females in your year, so you four may share a dorm without anyone else to poke at your lives. I am sure you know the way. The password is "Lion Pride." The school session starts in a week's time. As you are not underage, please just leave word when you leave the castle for supplies and such before school begins. Please adhere to the rules once session starts."

Gathering our things, I looked at him. The stress form the knowledge we shared weighed heavy on his face. The others filed out. "Professor?" He looked to me. "Don't lose hope. Darkness is only the absence of light." With that, I hurried after the others.

We settled quickly, Pansy griping about being a Gryffindor. "Why oh why?"

Luna was conjuring wisps wandlessly, leading them in a dance. "Who saved Cho Chang when that gang of males cornered her a couple months ago? And when Hermione was burning at the stake? Who cast the water spell to put it out, betraying her hiding space?"

Ginny laughed, "She's got you beat Pans. Seems like Gryffindor courage is catching." Pansy threw a pillow at the wisps, squelching them.

I pulled a book from my enlarged trunk, and sighed. Opening it, I smiled. My copy of Hogwarts: A History, with the notes Harry and Ron added one drunken night. Ginny squeezed in beside me. "I haven't seen you look at that since the boys passed."

The room became very still. "I feel safe here. So very safe. It is almost as if I will go down to the common room they will be playing chess by the fire."

Pansy stood up quickly then, "Come on. I don't know about you ladies, but I am starving. So ready for some good old Hogwarts house elf cooking. We are all a little skeletal after the past two years." We all rushed out the door to the kitchen, memories put on hold.


	3. Maybe Three seconds

Chapter Three

Diagon Alley caught our breath. I almost shed a tear, seeing it back to its former glory. We moved slowly from shop to shop, ignoring those that were moving too fast around us. Luna hummed and swayed, almost completely back to her old self, though not once did she mention nargles. Ginny pulled Pansy to look at the newest brooms. "Maybe we can play this year?" The redhead almost squealed. Pansy rolled her eyes, but smiled.

Once the shopping was done, we settled into some butter beers at the Leaky and had lunch, enjoying our last day of adult freedom for a while.

"They'll be boarding the train tomorrow." Pansy gestured at the students milling about the tavern. "He will be."

Luna snatched a chip from Ginny's plate. "No need to be nervous, I am sure we will be quite liked in the Lion's tower."

Ginny bit the chip in Luna's hand. "Only because the female population is tiny."

"Purebloods home school their daughters still. Some do go to Hogwarts, but mostly halfbloods and Muggleborns." Pansy chimed in. "Seriously, Gin. Manners?"

Pansy had spent her free time and ours teaching us all the little things pureblood daughters knew. Like table manners, and how to address males in our peer group. We were trying hard to ignore our nineties upbringing, but Ginny seemed to be failing.

As I paid for our drinks, what I could only assume to be one of Malfoy's ancestors walked over to me. "Hey there."

I glanced at him and sighed. "Can I help you?"

"I've just never seen you around here, and you seem to be carrying Hogwarts texts. My mates," he gestured to a dark corner booth with five other males, "and I were curious, is all."

"My friends and I are fleeing the war on the continent. Dumbledore has offered us haven at Hogwarts. We will be sixth year Gryffindors."

He scolded, "What a shame to have you in that shamble of a house."

I couldn't keep the glare from my eyes. "Our parents were killed in that war, and we fought tooth and nail to get back to England. Courage is not dishonorable; I doubt you would understand if you think it is a shameful trait. Go back to your mates." Handing the rest of the gold out for the bill along with a tip, I huffed, "If this is the manners of the male population of your house, whatever it may be, then you would be want for feminine attention. I would suggest a meek Hufflepuff." The other three had gathered our things and walked over to me.

The young man smirked, "I'm Abraxas Malfoy, Miss…"

"De Gaunt. And my companions, Miss Delacour, Miss Fawcett, and Miss Famel. And we were just leaving," the girls and I moved towards the door. Malfoy's hand caught my arm. "How dare you?"

"Come now, don't ruffle your feathers. Come sit with us?"

Luna smiled at him, "No. We've other shopping to do, as well as a trip to Gringotts. Remember, that is where papa said to put anything of value. He arranged a vault for each of us."

Ginny's temper flared, "Let her go Malfoy." The venom in her words shocked him enough to drop my arm.

Pansy pushed me behind her, "As lovely as this all has been, we've things to do, and wish to keep the company of someone with better manners than yourself. A pureblood would never behave as such. Good day." She moved us out the door, "Come along." We followed her out, and held our smiles until we reached the apparition point.

"That was brilliant Pansy. You let him, and everyone in school, know our blood status without advertising it." Ginny patted the girl on the back, and with a pop, we were all back to school.

The next day we changed into our uniforms after spending some time enjoying the room of requirement. Ginny had asked for somewhere fun and it saw fit to throw us a small carnival including rides. Laughing and playing like we never really had the opportunity to as children seemed to be just what our souls needed.

We watched our new peers climbing the hill, and hurried to the great hall. Dumbledore waved us over to him. "I've first years to retrieve. However, I would like to introduce you to Headmaster Dippet." The elderly man stood, and we each curtsied to him. "He will introduce you as Gryffindors after the sorting. Please stand beside the professors' platform and wait for that time."

As we moved to where he wanted us, Pansy whispered, "Nothing like being made a spectacle of." Ginny snorted in reply. Luna moved to my right, with Pansy and Ginny on the left and we watched as the students poured into the hall; each of them staring. Before I could start to fidget, Pansy leaned over, "Confidence, De Gaunt. Remember that those kids smell fear. We are stronger, smarter, and braver than most of them will ever have to be."

"Even the scary ones, who will be potential death eaters. They are still just children." Luna mused, "Not so scary to think of them now, is it?"

Ginny never looked away from the room, "You're right Luna. They aren't as scary."

Once the upper years were seated, Dumbledore brought the first years in. They were sorted quickly, and The Headmaster stood to make his speech.

"Greetings, Students of Hogwarts. To start, we've an unprecedented occurrence. These four brave young women have come to us to finish their education inflight of the war on the continent. Gryffindor was their sorting, and they will bring honor to that noble house." He motioned us forward. "Miss Luna Delacour, Miss Pansy Fawcett, Miss Genevieve Famel, and Miss Hermione De Gaunt. I expect you all to make them welcome here." We were dismissed to our table, and sat together at the end of the first years, not quite ready to face the others in our age group.

After we finished, we moved to head to the dorms, only to be stopped as we walked by. "'Ello loves. Names Mark Wood. I'm in your year, along with Charlus Potter and Alastor Moody there." The three boys were smiling at us, and we couldn't help but return it. "Allows us gents to escort you to the common room. No telling what you might come across tonight."

Mark offered his arm to Luna and then to me, and Pansy took Charlus's and Ginny Moody's. The boys began telling us about those in our house; including Septimus Weasley, who was their dorm mate and the sixth year prefect.

Once in the common room, we quickly thanked them, and turned to go to our room. Moody cleared his throat. "You might have noticed girls are a bit of a rarity. As long as you're vigilant, no one should bother you. Though you might have noticed the Malfoy heir staring at that one." He gestured to me.

"Only because Hermione told him to…" Pansy smacked Ginny, who finished, "leave her alone. Geez Pans, I've had too many brothers to not have a swearing problem. Did you have to hit?"

"Yes, act like the lady you are." The dark haired girl huffed. She then turned to Moody, "Thank you Alastor for your concern. We will be aware."

Luna chimed in, "Oh yes, Constant Vigilance! Good night." We gave our goodnights and hurried behind Luna. Once in the room, I shut the door and leaned against it.

"This is so awkward. I wanted to call him professor!" I waved my hand, throwing a silencing spell around the room. The others were already changing into bed clothes. "I need something from our time, yeah? Music?"

The others nodded and I dug around in my bag for the small stereo I had and a flip book of CDs. It was originally a gift to Arthur, spelled to work in the wizarding world. Molly had given it back to me after he had passed.

Ginny picked out Shakira and pulled the music up loud as the other two bobbed along to it. Luna was spinning as if she were dancing with her father again, and Ginny and Pansy were trying to shake it like they had when we traveled to Spain before the outbreak.

I couldn't believe it when Harry had brought Pansy back to Grimwald a year after the war. She had been accosted by some older man in Diagon Alley, and Harry had saved her from him. When she came in, we all stopped and stared for a moment before Ginny extended her hand. "Seems like the hero can't seem to stop. Truce?"

Pansy was enveloped into our lives then, even doing a brief dating stint with Charlie Weasley. Her heart was broke when we watched him waste away. Seeming her, and Ginny and Luna, smile helped my heart some.

All three of them had felt the loss of lovers, while for me it was just my two pseudo brothers. They would argue with the just, but their hearts are taking so long to heal. Mine still hurt, but not like theirs.

Luna flumped beside me. "No hurting allowed." She said, and pulled me up to dance with them. They were the family I had now. And I had better enjoy them.


	4. Light it up

Chapter four

Classes were a breeze; even without the persistent studying I had done in the week before session started. It seems the magic taught now was not as advanced as in our time, and we moved quickly through the course work.

Being one of only nine females in sixth year (three in Hufflepuff and two in Ravenclaw) we gathered a following. Suddenly I understood just how Harry had felt with this fan club. Potions with the Slytherins were the worst, as Malfoy and his counterparts seemed very interested in us. Except for Riddle, who was studious and blank.

After four weeks, I had finally had enough. Cygnus Black had me nearly pinned in the storage room for potions, trying to whisper in my ear. When he reached to touch my cheek, he received a shock to his hand. "Go away Black."

"How did you…"

Riddle tapped his shoulder. "Leave her alone. You have other things to be doing."

"Right. Yes." Cygnus straightened and backed away.

"Thank you," I said, turning back to reach for the ingredient I needed.

"He is shaming the Slytherin house, begging for a Gryffindor's attention." Riddle sneered.

I turned back around, and smiled, though it was more like baring my teeth. "What is your issue? The proper response is you're welcome. Try being a gentleman." With that, I shouldered by him.

The next week, we started practical defense lessons. Being paired with Skytherin house for defense, the four of us were the only females in the class. Naturally, the professor paired us up together.

While playfully slinging hexes back and forth, we heard Septimus bellow, "Come on, Malfoy. Not one of those girls would ever touch you, let alone de Gaunt. She's got taste."

I watched Abraxas make the moves for a slicing hex, and threw a shield around Septimus. The hex bounced off, and before it could ricochet, I called it to me. Pansy rushed to me, nudging my wand hand up. "That was close. No one's eyes were on you, or you would have some explaining to do over the fact that they don't know that shield spell and you did wandless magic."

Sure enough, the professor moved to me, asking me about my shield and how I absorbed the hex instead of being inflicted by it.

The sisters smiled as I went into lecture mode. "The spell is one…"I realized I couldn't tell them I made it. "my father used. He taught it to me so I could protect myself and my friends. It is 'Dissulto Detorqueo', and it calls whatever spell that hits the shield to bounce into the wand of the caster, giving them a boost in magic. It cannot be used malevolently. The boost can only heal or shield." The professor's mouth hung open.

"Very nice, Miss Degaunt. 15 points to Gryffindor for preventing harm. A true defense against a dark art." The professor later went on to deduct points from Malfoy and Septimus. With a half hour left, the professor moved a large chest into the room.

"What is in here?"

Ginny raised her hand. "A boggart, sir." He waved his hand for her to continue. "They show your deepest fear."

"Very good, now what is the incantation… Mr. Riddle?"

"Ridikulus." He seemed uninterested.

The professor nodded. "Then line up, and let's face our fears." Mark Wood faced a healer telling him he would never play quidditch again. She started to tap dance.

As the line moved, the realization that this could blow our cover hit my mind. Though it was too late. Luna was standing in front of the boggart.

It shifted to four men leering at her, trying to under their belts. I rushed to her, pulling her head into my shoulder. "Don't look," I whispered. Ginny and I had not arrived in time to save Luna from those muggle men. "Face me, you big bully!" Ginny and Pansy were right behind me. "Come on!" It shifted into the noseless face of Voldemort.

"You have failed! The world will fall! You are the cause for the deaths of those whom you love." He sneered,

Being a boggart forgotten, I shoved Luna to Pansy, and slashed out. A screaming cry came from the Boggart. "You will never get the chance to harm anyone again." Another one ripped from me, "You are the reason they are dead. You and your stupid games. But I've killed your soul."

A hand touched my shoulder, "He's dead, Hermione, and long gone." Ginny's blank face brought me back.

Pointing my wand, I sighed, "Ridikulus." He puffed into smoke. Looking at the others, straightened my uniform.

"I think I should take Hermione to the dorm. Luna as well." Pansy spoke softly. "Please excuse us." We hurried out the door; Accio's calling bags to our hands. None of the male population moved.

Dinner was spent making excuses. They wanted to know who the name was. Thankfully, they all had the tact to leave Luna alone; who had gone back to the withdrawn shell she seemed to reside in now. She was settled between Ginny and Pansy, and her eyes were so hollow. Mark Wood tapped her shoulder lightly after dessert.

"Miss Delacour?" he spoke softly, crouching down so he was shorter than her seated form and looked into her eyes. "Luna, come on now. Where's the bright eye lass we all love?" She smiled slightly.

"Hiding. She's scared again."

He placed a hand on hers, "Ey, I can see why. But you've got your friends there, and we lads would never let anyone hurt you. You're safe here."

She nodded and Pansy moved over some. "Please sit with us?" Pansy said and the boy settled into the group.

He looked thoughtful for a bit, and then sad. "My sister was… harmed. They ended up destroying her. She put an end to it herself a couple days after. You have to be stronger than that." He didn't look at Luna, but I saw her hand move to his under the table.

"I've seen my demons, Mark. Thankfully, my sisters chase them away when they get too close." She leaned to his shoulder, "And you do to, now. Thank you."

A/N: there is a little button down there that shows your support for this story. Press it, please, and let me know you are out there.


	5. Remembering me

Chapter Five

Luna spent a week in solitude, excused from her classes and put into counseling. Dumbledore insisted that we all try it, but the rest of us declined. Ginny had taken to flirting heavily with a handsome Ravenclaw, and Pansy had convinced me to give her my research in shield charms.

And I left the common room at five am every morning, making my way to the Room of Requirement. Tossing spells at moving dummies armed with stinging hexes released the energy held in me. I had destroyed many of them with flair ups of my magic. A few times I knew I was followed, though the door hid me away.

Pansy accosted me one morning before hand, pulling be back into our room. "I want a permanent shield on us."

I scoffed, "Impossible."

"No, you did work with wandless personal protection. I want to expand on it. What if we had elemental and Runic magics?"

"You're serious." I thought about it. "Humans haven't used Elemental magic in centuries. It's been labeled a lesser being craft. What do you have planned?"

She looked at her feet. "That's why I came to you. I keep thinking if we tied the elemental shields to our cores through runic tattoos it might make for a solid place."

"To our cores..." I stuttered. "Pans, this is absolutely dangerous. Elemental magic has more of a mind than some small level mammals. If we are found wanting, it could rip the magic from our bodies… literally. We could be blown to pieces." She handed me two books. "Forgotten Magics. I have skimmed this. And Core Bonds." I whistled. "Where did you get this?"

"Room of Requirement gave it to me. Please. Just think about it and see what you come up with. I am horrible at Runic translations."

"What's this about, Pans?"

"Luna. It reminded me that alone, we are always vulnerable. So, instead of waiting to be a potential victim, I plan to make sure no one can ever make us, or her, one again."

I looked over at Luna, who was sleeping curled up with Ginny because of nightmares. "I will see what I can do."

We left the room quietly then, moving to the great hall for breakfast. Cygnus approached us at the table with a bow. "Ladies."

We nodded, and Pansy even smiled slightly. "How might we help you, Mr. Black?"

"Miss Fawcett, would you honor me with your presence to the upcoming Slug Club meeting?" he bowed, extending his hand. When she looked to me, I nodded. We had all declined invites to the club at the beginning of the year.

"Ok, Mr. Black. Meet me in the Great Hall beforehand."

"It would be my honor." He took her hand then and kissed it softly. As he walked away, Pansy planted her head into my shoulder.

"What did I just agree to?"

"A date with a Black. Draco's uncle, to be exact."

"I've lost my mind."

I patted her head. "No Pansy. You just need some male attention. Luna has Mark; Ginny that Ravenclaw that she's been kissing on. It is only natural."

Pansy looked up at me then. "What about you?"

"Merlin help me, sometimes I forget that we are just barely legal." She picked up and eyebrow, "I've the best love at all. I have my books and research."

"Those things don't snuggle well." She laughed. "You don't fancy girls do you?"

"No. I just don't want to get hurt. I have watched you and Ginny enough to know it sucks to get hurt. And after losing the boys… Cannot do it right now."

She pulled me down to sit at the table, and handed me some toast. "Oh hun. That's sad."

We ate quietly, and then went off to classes. Once I had some peace, I would work on her request. Something in my brain told me she was on to something.

It was a week later that I shook Pansy awake in the middle of the night. She bolted upright, scrabbling for her wand. "Quiet. Let's go to the Room." Her head cleared with our code for the room of requirement. Pulling on a housecoat, she slipped her shoes on and followed me.

"Have you been to bed yet?" she whispered as we moved through the halls. I was still in my uniform from the day before, my hair gone even more wild.

"Negative. But it's totally worth it." Once inside the room, I pulled my notes out and handed them to her. "I think I have it, truly, but we have four days to pull it off. Samhain is the best time according to both ancient magics. It will be dangerous, but I believe we can do this. Here lays out the tattoo spell, and the runes for each element. We can imbue ourselves for each element. Then a binding spell will share them to the others. Then we call a projection of the elements. Complicated, but do able."

Pansy leafed through my drawings and notes, her eyes widening. "You did this, in a week?"

I started to reread my notes, and nodded, "yes."

"No wonder Harry beat Voldemort. You are amazing." Showing the drawing of the four elemental Runes, she tilted her head. "So who is who?"

"I have my guesses, but we need all of us here. We will each try to call an element using the runic sound for it."

"What are our theories on who calls what?"

"That is an unknown. We shall see. They have to be willing and fully devoted to this. No half hearts, no second thoughts. Pansy, this is so dangerous." I looked to her. "I think it is smart though. It will shield our minds; no one will ever be able to pull secrets from us. It will protect us from magical harm in some form, but we can still die, we can still be attacked. Harm can still come to us. This is by no means a bubble for us to live in."

She nodded, and glanced around the room, spying my dirty secret. "Is that the Mirror of Erised?"

I looked down. "Yes."

"How much of your time has been spent looking into it?"

"More than I should." She went to lecture, and I held my hand up "I miss them, ok? Luna had Rolf, You had Charlie, Ginny had her family. Those two were my world, even if we were only friends. I don't know how to live without them." Her eyes softened. "The world moved on after the war, but I didn't know how to live in a world where I wasn't plotting to take down Voldemort. Even now, We are still working towards that end. So what happens when it is all over? What do I do then?"

"You live!" Ginny called from the door with Luna. Both girls had panick in their eyes and house robes tied closed. "Of course, that is after I kill you for giving us a heart attack."

Luna hugged me tight. "We must work harder at stopping him. If only so Hermione can go out and be a normal person for a while."

"To quote that muggle movie, "Being normal is not necessarily a virtue," I chimed in, hugging Luna back. "Pansy, why don't you let them in on the plan." A bed appeared. "I've been up for 37 hours. I would like to sleep some."


	6. Taking over me

Chapter Six Taking Over Me.

When I woke up fourteen hours later, I went straight to Dumbledore. After entering his office, he smiled. "Ah, how are you Miss DeGaunt?"

"Well sir, thank you. I need permission for the four of us to be in the forbidden forest Halloween night." There was no mincing words with him. His eyes widened.

"Might I ask why?"

"Riddle will become very talented at mind magics. We must keep our secrets from him. I've found a way to place a permanent ward around us. It is dangerous, but the reward is great."

"Even if I decline permission, you will still do this?"

I smirked. "You are starting to get to know me very well professor. Yes, we will. This has to be done before we address anything with Riddle."

"There is a casting circle just down from the empty gamekeeper's cabin. Said to be Merlinic in nature.

"Thank you. We will be there during the Halloween ball."

"Safe castings, Miss Degaunt." I hurried out then, running into Riddle as he passed in the hall. Throwing up my wards around my mind, I nodded to him. "Pardon."

"Must you invade my space, Degaunt?" He sneered and went to move away.

After all the planning, I felt bold. "Must you always act like a petulant child? I don't get what the females see in you. You're cocky and rude. Not worth anyone's time."

I saw his wand hand twitch, and my shields went up just in time to deflect a stinging hex. His eyes were wide. I realized I had not pulled my wand to do it.

"Keeping secrets, Degaunt?"

"Need to know basis, Riddle." I said, never breaking eye contact. "You don't need to know. I don't fear you."

"Oh, I don't need you to fear that I will hurt you. But your little friends aren't so quick. It would be a shame for Delacour's Bogart to become reality."

I felt the magic crackling around me. "If you ever," I dropped the shield and fired a leg locking hex that he dodged, "Touch one of them," a slicing one, wandless and wordless, "or send your idiots after them," The next one found it's make, cutting his chest from right shoulder to left hip, "I will personally take you apart, joint by joint." He was kneeling, bleeding. His eyes were wide. "I have no problem in killing, or torturing, anymore. You are just a silly little boy with no thought to the world. You want destruction? You want power? You'll have to go through me." I waved my hand and the cut healed.

"This isn't over Degaunt."

"Come see me when you have your big boy pants on, Riddle." He was fingering the rip in his blood soaked shirt. "Heed my warning, and we won't have any more trouble." I walked away then, leaving him kneeling on the floor. Only later that night had I realized that I used the curse that had marked me during the first battle I had ever fought. It seemed fitting.

What was worse was he knew the others were my weakness. Which meant he had power over me.

The day before Halloween, each of the four of us went out by the lake and nature gifted us. The spell was once done by druids. Luna was an easy one to guess; Air had claimed her. The rest of us surprised me. I had thought Earth would pick Pansy, but it instead picked Ginny. Water had claimed Pansy quickly which left fire to me.

Fire. I had not even thought that would be what called me. As we reconvened that evening, we each fiddled with our new power. I kept lighting small candles around me as Pansy and Luna together made it rain inside. Ginny grew a flower from her palm.

We sounded out the spells, each a little different. 'Threicae ánimam meam' meant tattoo my soul with. I had 'igni'to finish that part of the spell. By placing my hand over my heart, I would have the fire symbol tattooed there.

With the nerves coursing through us, we ended up transfiguring a bed larger and all curled up together, trying to relax and let some of the stress leave us. If this worked, we would have the protection we would need.

A/N: it is a bit short, but the next bit is being written right now. This is just a good stopping point for this.

If you haven't guessed, Hermione is a bit different. But honestly, the woman has fought two wars by this point, lost just about everyone she loves, and is the protector of her friends. And that is going to change her.


	7. Awake and Breathe

A/N: Grindelwald's defeat will come earlier than cannon. The time line is fluctuating.

Chapter Seven

Dark came quickly on Halloween, and we moved to the circle under our school robes. Moving into each place, we all called our new magic to life, wandlessly. Before we could get started, I noticed others walking deeper into the forest.

"Hold up. Some of Riddle's DE boys are wandering the forest."

Ginny growled slightly. "They are going to ruin this."

"We have our gifts, waiting a year to call the protection circle isn't too bad. Maybe then we will have a better scope of what it entails." Luna whispered. "We should follow them, make sure they are not harming anyone." Riddle's words echoed in my head. "Besides, something just is not right tonight. I suspect trouble."

Having learned the hard way, we now always trusted Luna's gut feelings. "Ok." Pansy said. "Let's go play with Riddle. See what he has planned for Halloween."

I stood still for a moment. Then sighed. "Right." Luna cast the disillusion charm over us and we followed the males into the woods. Deep into the forbidden forest they went. The boys had just lit a fire and were taking turns bowing to Riddle as he stood on a downed tree trunk.

"Greetings, faithful followers. May this night smile on us all." Turning to Abraxas, he motioned to him. "Bring forth the newest ones." Two third year Slytherins were pushed forward. "An unbreakable vow, boys. To me, and then your fellow Knights. To do as commanded, never betray a fellow knight or our secrets." I couldn't see the others, but Luna was touching me. I called the fire out, sending the men into hushed murmers.

I felt Pansy cast a silencing spell while Ginny had them sink into the ground so they could not move.

"Well, what do we have here?" Pansy spoke aloud. We disillusioned ourselves, and the anger in Riddle's eyes was entertaining. "This cannot be a sanctioned school event."

Ginny laughed. "I think not. I see no staff sponsor." Luna had yet to move from beside me, her eyes closed.

Suddenly the quiet woman snapped, "Quiet everyone!" She was listening to the wind; had felt it shift towards us. Suddenly I heard it to. Luna quickly cloaked the group, and the voices got closer.

"There's talk of a girl who is better than even Dumbledore. Grindelwald wants her and her friends."

"So he is fake attacking the front gate, and we are supposed to sneak in the back and snag them. You know what they look like?"

"No one does. He said it should be easy to spot. And maybe we can have a little fun…" Neither looked like they could breathe. I glanced at Luna, who's eyes had gone dark. I realized she had called the air from their lungs, so that they would suffocate. Before I could grab her, she walked over to them, with the spacey turn of her head.

She shook it then, tsking. "Naughty henchmen. Worthless really."

"Luna, let them some Air."

"No, Ginny." She touched one of their faces. They had dropped to their knees, trying to breathe. Pulling his face upward, she let them both breathe for a moment, then called the air away. Before they could suffocate, Ginny petrified them.

"Enough." Pansy said. "They are going to attack Hogwarts. We have to stop them."

"It's too soon. Grindelwald shouldn't be here at all. They don't duel for another two years." I was trying to figure it out. Before I could go farther, I noticed Riddle struggling. I lifted the spell on him.

"We have to get back. We have to defend Hogwarts." The men around him nodded.

"so you will fight with us?" Pansy said, seeing Cygnus in the group.

Abraxas nodded, as did Riddle. "Let them go girls. We have a battle to fight." As they released them, I started to plan. "Luna, you head to the infirmary, Ginny take to the skies. Pansy, get anyone who isn't going to fight and get them hidden. The Come and Go room would be best." I pulled my wand then, "Expecto Patronum!" The otter I had known and loved flittered out from my wand, and the males all inhaled. "Go to Dumbledore with this message; 'Grindelwald has come to Hogwarts. Prepare the school." The otter was off in a flash and I looked at those around me. "Let's get moving."

Ginny let out two whistles, and a Theastral came to her. "I will meet you there." With that, she was in the air, surveying the area. No one said anything, the moment for questions had passed as we all took off towards the school.

Once in the courtyard, the others took their places. Ginny came to me for a moment. "At least a hundred wands. No other beings with them."

"You sure know how to defend this place." Dumbledore spoke from behind me, and I looked him in the eyes.

"We…" he stopped me.

"It is time, my dear. In this or another. Defend the castle and her students." He looked to Tom and the Knights then. "I suspect I can trust you in this. Do not fail us." He moved to speak with the faculty.

Riddle stood beside me. "You and I will talk, Degaunt."

"we have enough trouble right now. But yes, we will. Do they know how to kill?"

He looked over at the fifteen boys. "I don't know. But they will learn."

"Do you?"

"Excuse me?" He looked at me then. My eyes had not left Dumbledore.

"Do you know how to take a life? Have you taken one yet?"

"Not by my own wand."

"Myrtle." I sighed, "Did you mean to kill her?"

"How did you know?"

"Did you mean it?"

It took him a long time. "No. I didn't mean it. I just didn't want to leave Hogwarts. This is the only home I have."

"Doesn't make it right, but I understand. Hogwarts has always been home to me too." I felt the first hit to the wards. "They won't last."

Luna came rushing out, with Mark Wood in tow. "Hermione, we are ready, send all casualities to us in the great hall."

"I've got the head girl with everyone." Pansy was puffing for breath.

Ginny flew down then. "It won't be much longer." She jumped off the creature and steadied herself.

"Good, now get inside." I said, and they all looked at me confused. "I won't lose you three. Get inside."

"Hells no." Pansy said, "you aren't doing this without us."

"yes, I am. Go inside or I will send you there." They stood still. "I can not do this right if I am worrying about you. Please. Ginny, you and Luna are better healers than anyone I know, and Pans, the head girl has no clue how to defend those kids. I need you to do this."

Pansy placed a hand on my heart then. "Threicae animam suam aqua."

I felt a burning as my eyes went wide. She had given me her protection from nature.

I saw Ginny nod, and move to place her hand over Pansy's. "Threicae anima eius cum terra."

The burning increased as Luna placed a hand over the other two, "Threicae anima eius cum a'r." the sensation felt like my heart was burning, and I held my breath as they spoke the words that should have been mine.

"Threicae anima eius igni. Protege eam a malitia Anima." The world shattered around me, my eye sight went white.

A few moments later, I stood. They watched me as I looked to my heart, where the symbols were tattooed through the shirt I had been wearing. My shoes had melted away, and my clothing barely covered me. Pansy was the first to speak. "You are the one who is called, not us. Do what you need to."

Riddle swore from behind me. "As much as I would like to question you lot, the wards are falling."

"Go. I love each of you." I kissed each on the forehead, and they rushed inside. Mark Wood started to stay behind, but I shooed him on. "Protect Luna for me, please?"

Riddle watched as the boy ran, and then turned to Cygnus. "Go help Fawcett. She will be on the seventh floor."

The boy looked relived, and moved quickly. With Riddle on my right, Abraxas took the left. "Don't let them in the castle. They stop here." Both men nodded.

Grindelwald led his men, almost like a sightseeing stroll. He was arrogant when he came towards Dumbledore.

"Hello, Albus. Enjoying your All Hallows Night?"

"There are children here. Leave know before you come to harm."

Grindelwald studied his wand. "Old friend. You have been hiding a special witch and her companions from me. My sources in the school say that she will bring down a Dark Lord. Since I am the only one, it must be me. Give me the Degaunt girl."

The earth moved, rippling from me. Riddle hissed, "Get a grip." It settled, but Grindelwald looked directly at me.

"It must be you, darling. I can almost," he liked his lips, "taste the magic."

Dumbledore made his mistake, looking to me. Grindelwald stunned him before even I could get a shield up.

"Come to me now, girl. All will be well. It is you I want."

I stepped forward, and Riddle grabbed my arm, "What are you doing?"

When I smiled at him, he released me. I turned to Grindelwald, and raised me hands to show I was wandless. Suddenly an Advada Kadava flew at me from one of his henchmen. It slowed as it came towards me, and dissipated. Grindelwald had the man silenced.

"Can't control your own men?" my voice was soft, but carried around like the wind. "I will never willing come to you. Every one of us here will die before you can even enter the castle. This is our home. It shall not fall."

"Pity." He scoffed, and then the battle began.


End file.
